CTU questions - VAT hike for public servants’ salaries while MPs enjoy benefits?

Colombo, July 8 (Daily Mirror) - The Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) questioned if the government needs to raise the current Value Added Tax (VAT) to meet the salary increase demands of public servants, then from whom do parliamentarians receive their salaries, benefits and daily spending allowances for Parliamentary sessions.

Addressing the media, CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said parliamentarians can engage in destructive actions with the people's tax money.

"The responsible Ministers do not respond to our requests. We held our sick leave campaign on June 26, which ended with tear gas and water cannons at Colombo Fort. We continued our strike the following day (27) in protest against the attack," he said.

"We know that every trade union attached to the government and semi-government organizations support our sick leave campaign," he added.

As a result, teachers, principals, teacher instructors and Piriven teachers have decided to initiate another sick leave campaign tomorrow (9) against the current government for not considering their demands.

"Until the 26th, our trade union actions were after 2 p.m. to avoid disrupting children's education. The government has still not given a positive response, only threats. We will continue our trade union actions until our demands are met.

"While continuing our sick leave campaign, we have decided not to disrupt the practical tests of the GCE Ordinary Level examinations scheduled to start tomorrow. We decided to engage in the practical tests not for the rulers, but for the children," he added.

The teachers, principals, teacher instructors, and Piriven teachers will launch their sick leave campaign to protest for the settlement of the remaining two-thirds of the salary anomalies for teachers and principals and to avoid burdening parents with school expenses.

Therefore, Stalin informed the parents that this sick leave campaign is due to the government's faults.